Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-02-17

| love. Who can measure the influence
of godly wife and mother in the
family and home circle, or of christian
friend and neighbor in community
| We may see their silent example and
hear the word of counsel, comfort and
instruction, for thus the christian is
continually bearing witness to the truth
''as the light of the world" as "the salt
! of the earth" But this is only part
of the advantage coming to the world
| through them. The unknown because
unseen, unheard and unrealized power
is doubtless far greater. Every chris
tan in the home circle, or in commu-
nifty, is friend at the court of heaven,
an influential, powerful advocate before
the throne of grace. What striking
illustrations of this has God given in
his word
Whilst Abraham stands before the
Lord pleading for the cities of the Plain
their fate trembled in the balance but
when he ceased speaking their doom is
sealed.
When Israel provoked God to jealousy
and his anger burned as fire ready to
destroy, Moses stood in the breach,
their intercessor, pleading their cause,
with self forgetfulness he cries: "Yet
now, if thou wilt forgive their sin; and
if not blot mel pray thee out of the book
which thou hast written" The pleader
prevailed, Gods anger is turned away
His people are spared. Daniel fasts and
prays for his people and Jerusalem in
ruins. God accepts the prayer of his
servant greatly beloved6 and sends
an Angel with tidings of grace and de-
Gverance.
These beloved praying ones are in
all our homes and in every community,
angels of mercy in disguise bringing
blessings to hearts and homes, all I'M
perceived warding off many an evil,
protecting from many a threatening
danger
Oh! it is no trivial matter when a
christian wife and mother dies and her
voice of intercession is hushed forever.
The companion and children have
never gone forth from the home but
under the protection of her loving soil
citude and earnest prayer. 1t is not
often realized for none but God fully
knew the solicitude, none but God
heard the secret prayer, or silent utter
ance of the spirit. My bereaved
pleaded so often is now hushed, but her
tears of solicitude God has put into his
bottle as perpetual remembrance.
Her prayers are treasures of perfume
on the altar still, the odor of which still
ascends before God, in your behalf and
shall yet be answered for your profit
and salvation if you will but accept
the answers your heavenly Father longs
to bestow.
II. AS it is in life, so is it in death
with the christian, he is in the hand of
God. Death to him is not an accident
but an appointment. To human vision
and comprehension, death is concealed
and lurking foe tracking him continually
at whose mercy he seems to be all
unprotected except by his own prudence
and foresight. But this is not the
teaching of Gods word. Here we find
by Gods persuasive or directive
providence. "He holds the keys
of the spirit world and the grave"
''He redeemeth the soul from destruc-
ton" 1t is he who saith return We
children of men," That wonderful 9lst
Psalm is the heritage of Gods people
''He that dwelleth in the sacred place
of the Most High shall abide under the
shadow of the Almighty" etc. This
psalm with all its promise of protection
and support may be appropriated by
faith
1t is true the time and circumstances
of the death of christians is often dark
and mysterious to us, but not more SO
than are the providences of his life.
Gods ways are not our ways his
thoughts are not our thoughts. For
as the heavens are higher than the
earth, SO are his ways higher than our
ways and his thoughts than our thoughts
The death Of Gods people is to him
of the greatest interest. 1t is the gath
ering Of the harvest of long. and patient
toll. 1t is the graduation of one who
has been educated in the school of
Christ. 1t is the honorable discharge
of the victorious warrior from the life
of strife, struggle and danger, and his
call to the recognition of his services
home above. There is no stronger
proof of the truth of this passage than
the general and well nigh universal ex-
perience of the closing scenes of those
who have lived christian life. What
ever of suffering and anxiety there may
have been in natures struggle with
disease and death, if there is concious-
ness and the power to give utterance to
the experience of that hour, it is that
of marvellous peace, oftimes of rapturous
Joy. The veil between the kingdom of
grace and glory proves to be so thin,
that the spirit vision closing to earth,
catches clear transporting glimpses of
the brighter better world, and loses
thought and consciousness of this
mortal life, in the brighter clearer vision
of the life into which the soul is being
born, rather than dying through death
Such was the experience of our sister
who has left us, and is not, for God has
called her
Mrs. Darling came to this city in 1866
June Goth 1870, she united with the NJ
E. Church under the passionate of the
Rev. w. j. Mitchell, and was received
into full membership by Rev. J. D. Cole
Jan. Goth, 1871. Sister Darling was of that
active cheerful temperament eminently
fitting her for social life, and was ever
ready to lend a skillful willing hand in
all the active, social interests of the
church. Although not demonstrative
in her religious life, yet her answering
principle, her unobtrusive, consistent
and cheerful christian character won
the confidence of all who knew her.
As neighbor and friend, IN health and
sickness, she was very highly esteemed,
and this entire community feel they
have lost one of the best of friends and
neighbors. One trait ShOne with special